MU receives $1 million grant to study geriatric care
The grant will be used to offer new programs to medical students.
Published Nov. 12, 2010
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded MU a $1 million grant to go toward studying care for the elderly. MU is one of 10 universities to receive such a grant.
"The burgeoning number of older adults compels us to enhance the geriatric care skills of all who are involved in providing health care to elders," said Steven Zweig, MU Interdisciplinary Center on Aging director, in a news release. "Teamwork is essential, and at MU we have the skilled leadership, enthusiastic faculty members and innovative program designs to make us successful."
To offer enhanced geriatric medicine education, MU will offer medical students and resident physicians several new programs.
In addition to being director of the MU Interdisciplinary Center on Aging, Zweig is also a part of MU's family and community medicine department. The department first received a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 2003.
"The new grant will strengthen our internationally admired education program for students by giving them more opportunities to learn about interdisciplinary teamwork and the complexities of caring for older adults," said Michael Hosokawa, professor of family and community medicine, in a news release.
Hosokawa said physicians who complete training in either family or internal medicine learn more about interdisciplinary care in office and hospital settings, with the overall goal of improving quality, safety and satisfaction for patients.
According to the Interdisciplinary Center on Aging website, the original Donald W. Reynolds Foundation grant ran from September 2003 to August 2008. MU was awarded $1.9 million.
In that time period, MU was able to develop more than 12 geriatric care cases, to help teach first and second year medical students about the biological, psychological and ethical care of the elderly.
Additionally, the grant was able to fund a master educator program for Family Medicine fellows.
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, named after its founder, has donated more than $210 million toward aging and quality of life programs. The foundation is a national philanthropic organization, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., and founded in 1954.